Charmstones

These stone spindle whorls were used in the Island of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides as charms against diseases in cattle. They were found in use in 1860. Such stones are known as clachan nathrach, or adderstones.

Though the form suggests the function of spindle whorl, the secondary use and naming seem to suggest lack of familiarity with the former use. Instead the stones were considered, according to tradition, to have been used by adders crawling through them to slough off their skins. They were used to cure diseases in cattle caused, it was believed, by snake-bites.

The stones are probably spindle whorls, that is weights fixed on the end of a small rod or spindle. They are likely to have been lost and then found when their earlier use was unknown.

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